A TAKEAWAY owner has been fined more than £1,400 after appearing at court over food hygiene practices.

Mohammed Wasim, owner of Flames on Witton Street, Northwich, admitted failing to comply with a food hygiene improvement notice issued by borough council health chiefs at Vale Royal Magistrates Court on Friday.

Environmental Health officers inspected the premises on April 19 and were concerned to find a food safety management system had not been implemented, a council spokeswoman said.

A formal notice was served on Mr Wasim requiring compliance by May 31 and he was invited to a free half-day seminar to help him to comply with the notice.

The spokeswoman said: “Mr Wasim was provided with a Safer Food, Better Business pack which, if completed, would ensure compliance with the notice.

“Despite several revisits, officers from the council found that the food safety management system was only partially completed, resulting in Mr Wasim being issued with a summons.”

Lead councillor for community safeguards, Malcolm Byram, said: “The Environmental Health team are both educators and enforcers and want to help businesses to secure compliance wherever possible. However, in some cases the only option left is to prosecute.”